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Climbers Partner with LDS Church on Stewardship of Little Cottonwood Canyon Climbing

June 1st, 2017:The Salt Lake Climbers Alliance (SLCA), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and Access Fund announce the signing of an unprecedented lease for 140 acres in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC). The parcel, known as the Gate Buttress, is about one mile up LCC canyon and has been popular with generations of climbers because of its world-class granite.

The agreement secures legitimate access to approximately 588 routes and 138 boulder problems at the Gate Buttress for rock climbers, who will be active stewards of the property. The recreational lease is the result of several years of negotiations between LDS Church leaders and the local climbing community.

Access Note: The climbs on the Church Buttress above the vault that have been traditionally closed will remain closed. Please help us steward this area and leave no trace.

Description

Definitely not a Bong Eater, but still a fun, short line to hit up if someone is bogarting the better lines or to beat the winter inversion. Found just uphill and west of Bong Eater and just down and west of the Burner Brothers this scrappy chunk of rock offers at least one decent line (and reportedly another). Start in a nice nook in the scrub oak, climb through a couple of blocks to a nice stance about fifteen feet up. Lieback left up a quality crack to an offwidth with interesting holds. From here three options arise. Either continue straight up a wide crack in the corner (more liebacking), or step out right on easier terrain with cracks and face holds. Or finally crank out left on reachy, fun hand jams, on perpetually deteriorating rock. Despite the serial crouton nature of the rock, the jams are solid and the move out to the arête is quality. Follow the arête/slab to the top. Belay at double bolts at the head of the original corner. Walk off east or west. Or rap off webbing with quicklinks.

Location

Found on perhaps the furthest west chunk of granite in LCC. Five minutes uphill and west of Bong Eater, and a short jump downhill from the main Burner Buttress. When the Bong Eater trail cuts right to the route, continue uphill on social trails. The easiest entrance is by continuing up towards Burner and then cutting back west at the elevation of the base of the Finch line through a gap in the scrub. A few large boulders directly below the line provide ample room for sun bathing and hide the lower reaches of the climb.

3 Comments

+1 for Gregs comment, left for a flavor of grit or right for more standard, straightforward LCC climbing. Both worth climbing if you are up here and climbed the main OW's, or there happens to be parties on them. Adds a more standard hand, finger crack to your wide outing.
May 8, 2017

Bottom is fun and scrappy. Top is alright. Short. Not as hards as Satan's, Callitwhatyouplease, Bushwhack, or the top of Pentapitch (the 5.8 standards...). Probably as hard as Squeeze my Lemon and Crescent Crack. Probably not worth doing in its own right...
Nov 8, 2009